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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23493343">Injustice : Heroes Among Us : Year One</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cursedtobeshortforever/pseuds/cursedtobeshortforever'>cursedtobeshortforever</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Injustice : Heroes Among Us [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, Injustice: Gods Among Us</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>I will be more clear next time, I'm sorry if this confused you, Multi, most of these characters won't appear in the story, the tagging and thw writing, these are just the characters that will appear now and in future years, you have no idea how long this took me</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:41:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,948</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23493343</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cursedtobeshortforever/pseuds/cursedtobeshortforever</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A rewrite of the injustice story</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Dick Grayson &amp; Jason Todd, Jason Todd &amp; Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Injustice : Heroes Among Us [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1705555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue : Vicki Vale</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hello, Channel nine watchers! My name is Vicki Vale, and boy do we have a whole lot of news to unpack today!</p><p>As you all remember, Metropolis, the city of tomorrow, has blown up thanks to the maniacal mind of the Joker along with beloved reporter Lois Lane, Kid Flash, and Beast Boy.</p><p>But the drama doesn't end here! Not ever a full twenty-four hours later, Superman, the beacon of hope, has killed the Joker while under both the police and Batman's custody, breaking God knows how many laws in the process.</p><p>And even after several days of searching, there still no news of Harley Quinn's whereabouts, with the last report is her being transferred to Arkham by two policemen who were found dead just an hour after her arrest.</p><p>Among our other missing public figures are Kory Anders, Cassandra Cain-Wayne, along with her Brother Tim Drake-Wayne and their friends: Conner Kent, Jackson Hyde, and Cassandra Sandmark. If you have any information about their whereabouts, please contact the closest authority figure that you can find.</p><p>And that is all I have for now on our current Superhero news! </p><p>But please stay tuned on our channel because my reporter's senses are telling me this isn't going to be the last big break in a long, long time.</p><p>This is Vicki Vale of Channel nine, signing off for now."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter one - Bruce Wayne</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>During issue fourteen of year one</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>No, no, no, no, no</em>, Bruce thought, his eyes widening with realization, <em>how could he be even thinking about doing this? And to think that he thought Vicki's report was the worst thing he could have heard today.</em></p><p>
  <em>It was already bad enough that Harvey was going back to his old ways after weeks of trying to be better, but now Superman is threatening all of the inmates in Arkham asylum?</em>
</p><p>"Get the plane ready."</p><p>"Why? Where are you going"? Damian asked.</p><p>"I know why he's in Gotham," Bruce said. </p><p>"Oh my God," Dick said, coming to the same conclusion as Bruce, "They're going to Arkham! We have to go there before they do God knows what?</p><p>"Wait, so why are we stopping them? Wouldn't it be helpful for us?"</p><p>Both Dick and Bruce turned their heads to Damian. Bruce was looking repulsed while Dick looked disappointed. It's easy to forget sometimes who was with Damian the longest as Batman.</p><p>"We don't have time for this Damian. Get in the plane," Bruce said stressfully. They need to save as many people as they can.</p><p>"No, because you know what father? You are in the wrong here. Do you know how many people you killed by letting the Joker go to Arkham? Do you know how many people Superman has avenged? Of course you do! You are Batman! You counted every single victim as if it's some sort of a sick hobby of yours! And the fact even know you think you're not wrong just how proves how arrogant, self-righteous, selfish you truly ar-"</p><p>"Damian, that is enough!" Dick shouted, surprising the both of them, "it's not about saving the lives of the criminals as much as it is stopping Superman from destroying himself! His grief is clouding his mind, and instead of taking him to a place to mourn, the people around him are using him to further their own agendas! Have you ever thought about the innocent doctors and nurses that will be caught in the crossfire between the rogues and the league? Or the ways this could worsen Superman's state?</p><p>"If you think that this is just about giving ourselves a morale boost, then you clearly haven't been thinking outside the box. Now while Batman and I are going to stop Clark from losing his humanity for good, you can join us once you get your head straight."</p><p>As they flew the plane out of the Batcave, Bruce let the silence continue during the first two minutes of the flight, giving Dick time to calm down. He needed him to have a cool head for the next few hours.</p><p>"You can talk to me, you know. I don't really need the quiet like you, never did," Dick said with a natural smile, and Bruce felt more guilty than ever and cursed himself for not thinking that Dick read hin mind. They have been partners for years, how could he be this stupid?</p><p>"I don't understand where I went wrong with myself. I mean, I have a few ideas, but I never expected this-"</p><p>"You're not actually blaming yourself for everything, right?" Bruce's silence was the answer Dick needed. "Are you kidding me? Bruce, that's kind of insane. You know that killing the Joker is the best way for him to prove his point, you know that he is doing a victory dance now in hell, so why are letting Damian to get in your head?"</p><p>"Because I wanted to kill him too, so badly. There are some moments where I think that if Superman hadn't killed him, I would have probably done it myself. You have no idea how tired I am of all of this, and I can't help but wonder if this is one of the main reasons this whole thing started. How many lives I could I have saved if sacrificed myself, just this once?"</p><p>Dick sat, opened mouthed at his mentor's stupidity, and finally said, "If you really think that you haven't sacrificed yourself enough for the world, then we are seriously getting you a therapist after this is all over. But first, let's defend a bunch of terrible murderers from the world's most celebrated heroes."</p><p>Bruce was ready to argue with him until he noticed that they had reached Arkham. Giving a look to Dick that said 'we'll continue this later,' they ran inside, hoping that they got there before the Justice League.</p><p>"Have the League arrived yet?" Bruce asked some poor nurse that they found, almost scaring her half to death. She nodded her head 'yes', pointing to the League's direction. Dick gave a small apologetic smile before running after Bruce, coming just in time for a dramatic reveal.</p><p>"You don't get to decide-," a random doctor said.</p><p>"No, they don't get to decide," Bruce said while revealing his appearance.</p><p>"Well, you were right. They're exactly where you said they'd be." Diana said, looking down at - Damian? How could he-?</p><p>"Standing with monsters. But it's just the two of them; they shouldn't give us any trouble."</p><p>Bruce can't remember the last time someone had betrayed his entire trust in one day.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know some of you will disagree about my characterization of Dick, but he has canonically anger issues and a no shit attitude so I'm not taking any criticism about that</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter three : Dick Grayson</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Takes place in issue fifteen</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Damian, what are you doing here?" Dick asked, not bothering to hide his disappointment.</p><p>"Doing the right thing, just like you always taught me, Grayson," Damian said, "Taming the city from the monsters that you are too blind to notice. Saving the citizens from criminals who take advantage of your naivety and second chances, and standing with the real heroes of our world, while you two stand with the likes of killer croc and two-face."</p><p>"Damian, you are thirteen, and we are gathered in an insane asylum. How are you the darkest person here?"</p><p>"That is enough, please." Clark interrupted, "I'm not going to tell you to move aside, I know you're too headstrong for that. But you're not going to stop me from this."</p><p>"I won't let you go through with this. You have no idea how happy these people are that you're here." Bruce said, and Dick hoped that they understood what he meant by that.</p><p>"We truly are. Happy to see him that is", Zsasz said from his cell, and Dick cursed under his breath. Why isn't there a mute button on those rooms? "You see these lines on my body? They are the number of lives I have taken over the years, and each time I felt relief. Did you feel the relief when you took the Joker's heart out of his chest? Did you feel the rush of freedom?"</p><p>Please don't fall for the bait, Dick begged in his head.</p><p>"Cyborg, are you patched in?" Diana asked.</p><p>
  <em>Oh no.</em>
</p><p>"Yes, I have full control of Arkham's security system," Vic answered.</p><p><em>Oh please, dear God, prove me wrong</em>.</p><p>"Open door number eighty-three, Zsasz," Diana said. He heard Bruce yell no, Zsasz saying yes, and then he was gone.</p><p>
  <em>Oh, son of a bitch!</em>
</p><p>"What is happening? Where did he go?" The Mad Hatter asked.</p><p>"Flash," Answered Bruce, "He's taking the prisoners."</p><p>
  <em>Why couldn't the world prove me wrong, Just this once? </em>
</p><p>Just as Dick suspected, they were kidnapping them with ease. After Flash took Zsasz, Diana ordered to open the Mad Hatter's door. Vic opened it, and a second later he was seized by the Flash. How can they follow these orders without a second thought?</p><p>"Where are you taking them?" Bruce asked, sounding like he is two seconds away from losing his composure.</p><p>"A secure facility, far away, where they won't be able to hurt anyone ever again. That's all you need to Know." Clark said.</p><p>No, they also need to know if they will be treated with respect, getting enough food, and if they won't get abused by the guards. Dick was starting to wonder if Clark had hit his head on the way here.</p><p>"No more doors, Cyborg, only a warning," Bruce threatened.</p><p>"They won't listen. Do something!" Dick whispered to Bruce. Usually, he goes with the peaceful ways of negotiation, but desperate times call for desperate measures.</p><p>"Time to go, Riddler." Cyborg started, "Door-," but before he could finish that sentence, Bruce had pushed a button on his belt that activated a virus in Cyborg's system, and Dick was reaching his limit. He wanted Bruce to take control of the situation, not to hurt his friends!</p><p>Clark had shouted at Bruce what he had done, Diana yelled at him to stop this, Damian screamed justified insults at Bruce's face, and Dick was officially done with this.</p><p>"Okay, that is enough." Dick said, closing the button on Bruce's belt, swallowing his anger in the hopes of sounding relaxed, "Everyone, please just calm down. We are here to talk, not to look bad in front of the criminals of Gotham."</p><p>"Are you all right?" Diana asked.</p><p>"Now I am." Vic replied bitterly, "I just don't understand how he got the virus in. I've just upgraded my firewalls, They're completely impenetrable.<br/>Then how-" Vic's eyes widen at the realization, and Dick knew in the pit of his stomach, "The date signature."</p><p>Vic turned to Bruce, "You freak! You uploaded the virus on the day I joined the league!"</p><p>"That's just cold." Killer Croc said in his cell next to Dick. Dick nodded his head in agreement.</p><p>Suddenly an arrow was shot between Vic and Bruce, which meant that Green Arrow has arrived at the scene for some unspecified reason.</p><p>Because that's what we need right now, Dick thought bitterly, more people to join the party.</p><p>"Okay, that's enough of that." Ollie said.</p><p>"You're here with them too?" Bruce asked, and Dick send silent prayers that he was just in the neighborhood for absolutely no reason that has to do with Arkham.</p><p>"No," oh thank God, "I'm admitting someone in." Oh, sweet Jesus, please don't let it be-.</p><p>"Residents of Arkham!" Harley Quinn spoke through the speaker. <em>Why does God hate me so much?</em></p><p>"You didn't put her in a cell?" Bruce asked. Good question.</p><p>"I saw what was happening in the security cameras, so I ran here as soon as I could. But I left her handcuffed with a guard!"</p><p>"Oh God, with who? Kenneth?" Dick asked. That guard was useless to the bone. There are times that Dick thought they only kept him here so they inmates could continue to run away.</p><p>"Superman took away Mister J." Harley continued. "And while I'm grateful for that, he also wants to kill the rest of us. So I'm letting you all out. We will probably die today, but at least we'll go down swinging! With some extra help of course. I'm stupid but not an idiot."</p><p>Just as Dick thought the situation was already getting worse with all the cells opening up, the ground started to shake as if an earthquake had hit the asylum.</p><p>"What the heck is going on?!" Clark yelled out.</p><p>"She turned off the dampeners in the basement!" Bruce yelled back over the growing noise. If she turned that off, then that means-!</p><p>"Born...on... a Monday." Grundy!</p><p>Before anyone even could blink, Grundy took Damian by the head, taking him down the basement.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry (not sorry) for the cliffhanger.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter three : Bruce Wayne</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Takes place during issue sixteen</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Too much happened at once. Ollie tried to stop Grundy with his arrows, Superman used his heat vision, Wonder Woman tied her lasso to Grundy's wrist, and all their efforts didn't even make him waver for a second.</p><p>Bruce wanted to go after Grundy along with Dick, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Still, just at that moment Killer Croc and Calanderman (Bruce thought that man retired years ago. He's that irrelevant)made the jump on him and forced him onto the ground.</p><p>"Robin!" Bruce screamed in vain, hoping that Damian will hear his voice, snark about his panic, do anything to prove he's still alive!</p><p>"Uh, hey, fellow evil people," Harley said through the microphone, distracting Bruce from his panic for a split second, "as much as I'm happy watching good ol' bats get tackled to the floor, can you boys do it after he saves his kid? Just this week, Mister J. tricked me into killing a whole ass city, Atlantis almost got turned into an all you can eat sushi bar, and some of our friends just got kidnapped and we will probably never see them again. So let's turned down the angst a bit, shall we?"</p><p>Riddler, Killer Croc, and Calanderman all looked at each other, probably thinking the same thing that Bruce did: Harley didn't know about the bomb. Even after death, the Joker can still find ways to dig himself a new low.</p><p>"Yeah, guys, I think I'm with Harley on this one." Killer Croc said, getting off of Bruce and letting him stand up. Riddler and Calanderman both followed suit, either because they also agreed with Harley or because they were terrified of Croc. Bruce assumed it was a mix of both.</p><p>"Look, people can only handle so much drama at once, even bad guys like us. Go save your son, but so that you know, we are going to continue where we left off the second you come back." Croc added, and Bruce gave him a sincere thank you before jumping into the hole that Grundy left. Just because they were known criminals doesn't mean he had to be rude to them.</p><p>Bruce had gotten just in time to see Superman drive through Grundy's chest, leaving blood everywhere. It took him a second to see Grundy's hand on the floor, with Dick trying to open the palm open to free Damian's head. Bruce ran to them, helping Dick to pry it open.</p><p>"Robin, are you okay?" Dick asked, after finally setting Damian's head free. Shouldn't disembodied hands be easier to penetrate?</p><p>"I'm fine! I had it under control!" Damian shouted at Dick.</p><p>"You hear that, Bruce? He had it 'under control'," Dick said mockingly, "Because putting your head in an undead man's hand who has zero pain tolerance and no concept of a soul in the perfect way of having things under control."</p><p>"Nightwing, stop teasing your brother. This is an Arkham breakout, not an awkward family dinner." Bruce said while trying not to smile at their antics," I need you two to get up there and help to put the inmates back at there cells, and if you continue to argue like this while fighting, then someone is bound to get hurt."</p><p>"Back to their cells?" Damian asked in disbelief, "But father-."</p><p>"No buts!" Bruce said back, "right now we need to focus on making sure that none of the innocent bystanders such as doctors, nurses, and guards won't get hurt, and that means locking them up in the closest containments we have around. Can you at least agree on that?"</p><p>Damian nodded his head 'yes', and Bruce let out a sigh of relief.</p><p>"What are you going to do?" Dick asked.</p><p>"Grundy has been resurrected too many times for these attacks to put him down for good. In fact, he should be coming right about...now." And just as Bruce finished talking, Grundy rose up with an angry growl, looking more murderous than typical.</p><p>"Go, now!" Bruce shouted at them.</p><p>"He totally stalled us there for the dramatic reveal," Dick said before vanishing to the fight upstairs, and Bruce let out a small smirk once his boys were out of sight.</p><p>Bruce ran towards Grundy, jumped just inches above his head, and attached two bombs on each side of his skull. He landed on the ground just as the bombs went off, along with Grundy's head. He od to thank Selina for those agility lessons.</p><p>"Good job." Clark said next to him, and Bruce hated the fact that he forgot that he was there.</p><p>"We need to get him back to his cell and get the dampeners back on." Bruce said back.</p><p>"Wonder Woman and Flash already did the second item on the list, and I can get Grundy back to his cell by myself. You should get back up there and join the fight. Just because we are on opposite sides at the moment doesn't mean that I'm going to ignore basic logic."</p><p>Bruce nodded his head in understanding, took a grappling hook, and flew himself out of the whole. Arkham needed to be saved from Robin more than Robin needed to saved from Arkham.</p><p>
  <em>But who knows, maybe Damian listened to his order and didn't try to start a political argument with Dick in the middle of the battlefield.</em>
</p><p>"I am so sick of you all! Why do people like you deserve help anyway?! After you hurt anyone you have ever known, you still think we owe you anything?!" Damian shouted while beating the Riddler.</p><p>
  <em>Or not.</em>
</p><p>"Robin, that is enough!" Dick yelled back to Damian while fighting with Harvey Dent, "While I do admit that they're people out there like Zsasz who earn every punishment that comes their way, there are also people like the Riddler who just rob a few banks, are harmless after one fight and plainly want attention. And they do not deserve to be beaten after they're already down!"</p><p>Bruce tried to go to break up the upcoming fight, but unfortunately, Killer Croc decided to keep on his promise and tried to tackle Bruce to the ground again. Bruce was able to dodge the attack, but at this rate he won't be able to divide the two boys apart.</p><p>"You're just as hypocritical as he is! You keep talking about how Superman is wrong for doing all of this, yet we all know that if Batman were in his shoes, he would have done something worse than this!"</p><p>"The 'what ifs' don't matter now! what matters is that your violence is getting out of control, and you need to learn how to restrain your anger, especially during conflicts!"</p><p>"STOP TELLING ME HOW TO BE MYSELF!" Damian yelled while throwing an escrima stick at Dick's head.</p><p>If you were to ask Bruce what happened at that very moment, he wouldn't be able to tell you. All he remembered was Harvey screaming "no, not his son!", Damian standing in shock, Dick was lying on the ground while groaning in pain, and a sickening sound of a cracked bone that filled the room.</p><p>"Robin threw one of his sticks ay Nightwing's head," Killer Croc explained after seeing Bruce's shock, "When Harvey saw the stick flying towards Nightwing while fighting him, he pushed him out of the way, got hit in the head and fell right where a small stone could break his neck.</p><p>"At the same Green Arrow shot one of his box glove arrows at Harvey, and when Harvey pushed Nightwing out of the way, the arrow ended up hitting Nightwing in his right hip."</p><p>Bruce nodded numbly to Croc's words, feeling nothing and everything at the same time. He didn't know if his stomach felt empty or if he's going to throw up. He even didn't notice when Croc let him walk freely to Harvey, how all the fighting stopped when the cracking sound echoed throughout the halls, or how both the rogues and the Justice League allowed him to go to his sons.</p><p>When he reached the scene, he saw Ollie attending to Dick, while Dick was trying to play it cool, even though he was clearly wincing in pain every few minutes.</p><p>Damian was staring blankly at Harvey's corpse, and that's when Bruce noticed they were all staring at the body, and he knew why. No one had died up until now other than the Joker. This wasn't just another fight to forget about. This was becoming a war that no one could have ever predicted or prepared for.</p><p>Bruce crouched down to Harvey, closing his eyes and mouth. He picked him up and started walking towards the exit.</p><p>"Green Arrow, take the boys and drive them to the Batcave. Agent A will have all the necessities ready by the time you'll get there." Bruce said to Ollie before leaving.</p><p>"Batman-." Damian started to say.</p><p>"Two days ago, Harvey Dent begged the doctors in Arkham to give him plastic surgery so he can remove the burn scars and Two-Face for good, in the hopes for a last chance for redemption. Today, Two-Face made one last attempt at ruining Harvey's chance at returning to his family and friends. Now I am going to the best plastic surgeon in Gotham, to make sure that Harvey's final wish could come true so that his soul can finally rest in peace. Does anyone in this room have any objections?"</p><p>The silence in the room was all that Bruce needed to take his leave.</p><p>After he left Harvey with the surgeons (they almost rejected him, but one glare was enough to convince them otherwise), he noticed a play's flyer about one of Apollo's many legends. Only then did Bruce apprehended what had just happened around him, and fell to his knees.</p><p>I lost my best friend tonight, Bruce realized, I lost my best friend and Gorham has lost her Apollo, her rising sun, her shining beacon of hope.</p><p>How is a city supposed to ever feel warm, look bright, or just be alive without her gleaming sun guiding on her way?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If anyone got that reference to The Long Halloween, I will be thrilled</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter four : Selina Kyle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Takes place in issue seventeen</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Selina reached the alleyway after she heard the gunshot, examining the victim at hand. She let out a sad sigh when she realized who the victim was.</p><p>Joey Guiton. He was a mechanic a few years ago, but after a car crash that was blamed on him, he ended up losing his job and house. But he still had a family to take care of, and pride that refused to waver.</p><p>After he lost his job, he was forced to become a purse thief, but he only took cash though, and always returned the IDs and credit cards. He was one of the good guys who only did what they must for survival. Tonight he made the mistake of running into one of Superman's new mindless minions who don't know the concept of hypocrisy and thought that killing a small thief is the best way of cleaning the world of evil.</p><p>Men like them will never know what real evil is, and men like Superman will never realize the impact they have on the world. The second he said that he killed the Joker on TV, a bunch of these clueless white men rose from their couches and decided to start killing people who commit the smallest of crimes. It was a shocker to absolutely no one that all of their victims were either broke, colored, or in the LGBT community.</p><p>Selina took out her whip and flew to the next building, an apartment complex built for the rich. There was no one to take care of the Guiton family now, and she was going to make sure that the person that caused them to lose their house will pay up for it with their own money.</p><p>This was what she and Bruce had done in the past few years: Selina would break into a crooked rich man's house, steal some of the evidence of his corruption while taking some of his money for the victims and the shinier items for herself. Bruce would then appear as Batman and give the proof to Gordon.</p><p>She and Bruce were going steady when he proposed that idea, along with the thought of her being the official protector of the east end. Selina always laughs when she remembers his anxious expression. He thought he was offending her even though she was the one who mentioned the concept of the east end first.</p><p>Selina broke into the apartment by cutting a perfect circle in the window, setting the remain aside before going for the safe. She was just about to finish up until she noticed that she wasn't alone.</p><p>"Catwoman." Superman said in his righteous voice, and Selina couldn't remember the last time he sounded so punchable.</p><p>"Superman, you've come to help?" Selina asked sarcastically, "Thank you, this bag is pretty heavy."</p><p>Selina threw the bag at Superman, but not before putting some important USBs in her pocket that will hopefully bring the bastard down, and jumped out the hole that she made during her entrance. Superman attempted to grab her during her dive, but let her go after feeling a familiar pain.</p><p>A kryptonite earring. She stole some kryptonite from Bruce during one of her many visits to the manor, and he had a difficult safe, she'll give him that much. But Selina has been visiting the mansion for some time now, and her stubbornness knew no bounds. A small part of her brain told her that Bruce probably knew of this, but she wants to believe that she can get away with some things behind his all-knowing back.</p><p>Selina took the escape root through the sewers, hoping that the maze-like sewer system would help her get away from him. Her suit was soundproof, so at least he won't be able to hear her heartbeat.</p><p>Unfortunately for Selina, it's tough trying to run from a guy with x-ray vision.</p><p>Superman used his heat vision on Selina's kryptonite earring, forcing her to throw it away into the sewer water. Selina let out a few curse words before turning to face him.</p><p>"Is this what you do now?" She asked angrily, " killing criminals in sewers?"</p><p>"I'm sorry," Superman replied, looking apologetic (it somehow made him look more punchable), "I didn't mean to scare you. I just want to talk."</p><p>"Then talk."</p><p>"It's Batman."</p><p>"What did you do?" Selina asked, her voice getting slightly out of her control.<em> I swear to God, if this former overgrown Boyscout had done something to her man...</em></p><p>"No, not like that!" he said back quickly, "it's about him, but he's not hurt."</p><p><em>Oh, thank God.</em> "OK, then who did get hurt?"</p><p>"It's Harvey Dent., he...he died in Arkham two hours ago."</p><p>Selina let her face fall and eyes water, not caring about showing weakness in front of Superman. Harvey was one of the best men she had ever known. The least he deserved was a chance at having a healthy life again.</p><p>"The only person who would have been deeply affected by Harvey's death, other than Bruce, would have been you. I know that because ten years ago, I wrote an article on how the three of you were somehow able to take down ten shady businessmen in one year. He needs you now, Selina, and you need him too." Superman said.</p><p>Selina averted her eyes from Superman, hating how much those words hurt her. Harvey threw a celebration party for that article, much to Bruce's displeasure. He was saying how it proved that they were slowly changing Gotham for the better, that their efforts were not for nothing.</p><p>It all feels like a cruel joke now.</p><p>"I'm going to Bruce. But let me first give you a small reminder before we go our own ways: the reason why most of these countries that you<br/>'have saved' were at war in the first place wasn't because of their own doing, it was because of a bunch of western countries who decided to put their noses in something that could bring them power and money.</p><p>"Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Iran, and Vietnam. Hell, even Israel and Palestine were peaceful with each other's existence until the UK came in and ruined everything. All of these countries were stable until some outside force came in and left them with nothing. And these same people who had no problem destroying these Eastern nations for their own benefit, are now forcing people out of their homes, millions of people by the way, to make sure their new house has a pool with the size of an actual lake.</p><p>"If you genuinely want to make the world a better place, you have to start with the real evil of the world: savage, greedy and powerful corporations and banks who will do anything to stay on top of the social latter. The governments wouldn't have started any wars if there wasn't any profit there."</p><p>Selina left Superman there, letting her words sink in while she turns away to start towards her house. Alfred already has enough problems on his hands, the least he needs right now is her outfit smelling of urine.</p><p>It was around midnight when she reached Wayne manor, wearing a hoodie and jeans with her long her in a bun. She knocked on the giant door, waiting for an answer, and after a few minutes, a tired-looking Alfred opened the door.</p><p>"Miss Kyle?" Alfred asked in surprise, "oh, how rude of me, please do come in. I'm sorry for my messy state, I've had a long night but that's no excuse for making you wait so long. Please, let me make you some-."</p><p>"Alfred, please, calm down." Selina spoke calmly, walking him to a nearby chair, " I came here to make sure you guys are all right and to help you if you're not. Now please, sit down while I prepare some you something to drink."</p><p>"Alfred, is that Selina?" She heard Dick yell from a room near the entrance. She gave Alfred a confused look as he led her to the sitting room Dick was at, and she almost let out a gasp when she saw the cast around his hip.</p><p>"Who did this to you?" she asked with her voice rising.</p><p>"Technically, it was Green Arrow, but it's a little more complicated than that. He already apologized over a hundred times before he left me us here." Dick said in a weak attempt of a joking tone, but Selina could hear the tiredness in his voice.</p><p>"Alfred, can you please some of the cookies you hide for emergencies? I think we'll need them now." Selina asked Alfred without looking away from Dick. There is something that's eating at her boy; she can feel it.</p><p>Alfred said of course before walking out of the sitting room, letting them have some alone time. Selina walked towards the couch, sitting down next to Dick and letting his head fall towards her chest as she petted his hair, just like in his first Robin days. This was always the magic trick that made him talk.</p><p>"I could have saved Harvey," Dick said after some silence, and Selina tried to swallow the lump in her throat, "he died because I was too slow. If I caught that escrima stick before it hit his head, he might be still alive-."</p><p>"Dick Grayson, that is enough." Selina said, interrupting his self-loathing speech, "while I don't know the full detail of the fight, I'm sure as hell it wasn't your fault. You may be one of the best fighters in the world, but sometimes things happen that are out of our control, and we shouldn't blame ourselves for it. Now, you are going to tell Alfred what you just told me, eat some cookies, and feel better under the magic of Alfred while I'll check on Bruce. Understand?"</p><p>Dick nodded his head weakly, not even bothering to smile, and that's how Selina knew how serious the situation is.</p><p>After making sure Dick was comfortable enough to talk about his guilt with Alfred, Selina made her way to Bruce's office, towards the grandfather clock. After she moved the hour to 10:46, The clock moved sideways to reveal the staircase to the Batcave.</p><p>She made her way down the stairs and saw Bruce, hitting the large wooden block again and again until his fists were bleeding. Selina ran to him, telling him to stop while trying to catch his wrists. Bruce didn't bother to fight her. He just let her stop him and collapsed on the ground, and Selina sat down next to him, holding him in her arms.</p><p>"We were supposed to become happy again," Bruce said, sounding like he's trying to keep his tears in, "Just like in the beginning, remember Selina? Remember how brilliant and young we were when all met the first time?"</p><p>Selina remembered that night perfectly. It was Selina's first time into the world of the rich, and Bruce's first Gala since he returned to Gotham. They were young, angry, and ready to prove themselves no matter what.</p><p>Selina and Harvey already knew each other from the times she went to Gotham University to study art (she had to know the value of her steals, after all), and Bruce and Harvey already were childhood friends. During the Gala, Harvey decided to make his two friends meet, and Bruce and Selina hit it off after realizing they both had a shared love for literature.</p><p>An hour into the party and all three of them were bored out of their minds. So they executed a plan to get away from it: Bruce would use his Wayne charm to get a platter of entrees, Harvey would catch a bottle of champagne and, Selina would put an earring in some random man's pocket. That caused drama and a distraction for their getaway.</p><p>The spent the rest of the night drinking and eating in hiding, sharing stories and laughing. They felt like the biggest people in the world, like nothing could ever bring them down.</p><p>Selina would do anything to feel like that again.</p><p>"Tomorrow we are going to start fighting against Superman," Selina said, "tomorrow will start looking for people who feel like us, who don't believe in Superman's ways and build our own revolt against him. But tonight, tonight we lost a friend, and if we want to hold ourselves together again, we'll have to fall apart first. So fall apart Bruce, and I promise you, I'll hold you together when you're done."</p><p>Bruce let out one tear, and then another and another, until he couldn't hold it all in anymore. Selina felt her own tears spill out and let herself be held by Bruce back.</p><p>Harvey Dent's sacrifices will not be in vain, Selina could practically hear Bruce vow in his head, The world will know of his bravery through our rebellion, even if it's going to be the last thing I'll do.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is the longest I have ever worked on a chapter</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter five : Selina Kyle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Takes place during issue eighteen</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bruce and Selina stood on top of one of the tallest buildings in Gotham, waiting patiently for their beacon. When they both saw the bat signal light up the sky, they knew there was no going back.</p><p>"Are you sure about this?" Selina asked, checking one last time before taking off.</p><p>"Without a doubt." Bruce replied back, "You are one of my main allies. If he has a problem with you that he has a problem with me."</p><p>"I know that because you're Batman, you don't have people question your arrivals, but I'm still known as 'just the Catwoman' and I'm not sure the president of the United States of fucking America would be happy to see me." She replied snarkily back as they both swung from rooftop to rooftop, and Bruce just grunted in reply.</p><p>By the time they got there, Gordon was ending his cigar while the president looked more tense than ever. Gotham can have that effect on you. Bruce gave a small nod of acknowledgment to Gordon, which is his version of giving someone a gigantic greeting bear hug.</p><p>The president immediately let out a big, stubborn no when he saw Selina standing right next to Bruce. Selina thought that Bruce was more than ready to punch the president in the face.</p><p>"I don't like surprises, mister president." Bruce said, almost grinding his teeth together in annoyance.</p><p>"I'm sorry," the president said back, "but no one has seen you in a week. I didn't know how else to reach you, and we need to talk."<em> How cute, he actually believes that he can surprise us.</em></p><p>"So talk." Bruce said back.</p><p>"Not out here and not in front of her." The president replied rudely, and Selina had to remind herself that scratching his eyes out would ruin their plans, especially if she does it in front of witnesses.</p><p>"Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of Catwoman. She saved Gotham as many times as I have and has proven to be a loyal partner. And if you say that 'she is a criminal,' then I'll remind you that I am a vigilante who breaks hundred of rules on a nightly business. I also highly doubt every action you made in the office is a legal on, 'mister president'." Bruce said the last two words with malice, shutting up all the those who opposed Selina staying.</p><p>Selina tried not to gloat, she really did, but it's hard not to when the Batman himself starts to 'defend your honor'.</p><p>"Follow me," Said the president, leading them down the stairs from the roof to a secluded room after a long silence, "I have seen the camera footage from Arkham, and I saw what happened. Harvey Dent was a good man, and I'm sorry for your loss." <em>Does this man have any shame?</em></p><p>"I know you said this because you want to look human to us, and believe me when I say that I'm not one to judge" Selina started, not caring if she sounded rude; even the president needs a reality check sometimes, "But it just makes you look like an asshole. So if I were you, I would go straight to the matter at hand before one of us loses their temper."</p><p>"Right." The president said, having the decency to blush at her words, and led them to a room with several chairs, a screen projector, a table and two doors that can only be unlocked from the inside.</p><p>"I asked the men to wait outside, and this room has been completely fitted out so that Superman can't see or hear anything that happens within, but he's busy at the moment anyway." The president added, "two communication satellites just 'mysteriously' collided are falling out of orbit into Russia, so he has his hands full.</p><p>"After Superman and his friends have stolen prisoners from all over the world and have been transporting them to an unknown location, they started blundering into every current political conflict known to man.</p><p>"On Tuesday, Superman forcefully sat down the leaders of Palestine and Israel into a room and making them agree on a peace treaty. The situation was too stressful for the leaders, and they both resigned the next day. And now the state of both countries are in constant paranoia thanks to a lack of leadership from their once-influential leaders.</p><p>"Wonder Woman has also appeared in Burma, defending the Rohingya from the state's military. That didn't fix much because the Rohingya still do not have their own nation to feel safe in, so they will continue to get prosecuted in other countries instead.</p><p>"There was also a massive show of force from Green Lantern and Shazam in Syria, with Lantern making a round shield around the capital city and Shazam destroying the missiles with his bare hands. That caused the civil war to dial down a bit, but tensions are still high as ever there.</p><p>"And Raven appeared in Sudan at night, scaring the government officials into submission. The women of the country protested against Raven's tactics, saying that she was acting just like said officials. Still, the women were smart enough to take advantage of the circumstances and force Sudan into being democratic again. So far, this is the only country that had positive results from the League's meddling.</p><p>"I'm sure both of you are smart enough to notice a pattern." He added after the slide show ended.</p><p>"Yes, we both have." Bruce said, "They are not stopping the wars, they are putting them on hold. The conflicts of religions, of lands, and of ancient feuds are still there. Peace needs to be enforced, and someone needs to enforce it."</p><p>"That's also why you have called us here. You think Superman is going to take over the world, and you want us to stop him." Selina added to Bruce's words. All the cynicism has gone from her posture and tone.</p><p>"Can you do it?" The president asked.</p><p>"If it needs to be done, if it comes down to it, I think we take him down." Bruce answered back.</p><p>"But the real reason we came here is to tell you to do better, not to hear some news that we had known before we came or tell you things that you already suspected." Selina said as well.</p><p>"You came here to what?" The president asked in a shocked tone, "You planned this from the start? But you were surprised to see me next to the commissioner!"</p><p>"No, we acted surprised to see you on the rooftop. You'd gotten to so much trouble, and we didn't want you to look bad." Selina said.</p><p>"I voted for you." Bruce said, surprising Selina with his sincerity.</p><p>"How does it work? You go into a polling stand and go 'I'm Batman'?" The president asked mockingly, and Selina glared at him on instinct. <em>It's like he wants me to punch him.</em></p><p>"I've never had much time for men who grin and joke to avoid the truth." Bruce said, getting the president to lose his mocking smile.</p><p>"Do you want to know the real reason so many people support Superman?" Selina asked, and continued after the president slowly nodded his head 'yes', "It's because he keeps his promises. He promised that he is going to end all the wars in the world, and he kept his word. Is he doing the world any favors? No, of course not, but at least he's doing something to make the world a better place.</p><p>"If you want people to continue to support you, then keep your promise of making this country a better place. Free healthcare, gun laws, marriage equality, helping the environment, and stopping poverty by taxing the rich is barely the tip of the iceberg of what you can do to help.</p><p>"There are many politicians in the past that made promises just to get into office and continued to let their country suffer. Prove that you're not one of them, and maybe we'll support you too."</p><p>The president rose from his chair angrily, "If I wanted some masked vigilantes to tell me what to do, I would have invited Superman instead!"</p><p>"We're not ordering you to do anything," Selina replied calmly, "we're asking you to do better for the sake of our world and future."</p><p>The president looked helplessly between Bruce and Selina. "I'll try," he said after taking a long, deep breath, "I swear, I'll try to do better."</p><p>"To start with me trying to do better, I will help you with the rebellion against Superman." the president said, "I know that not even the almighty Batman can do this alone, so I picked up a few files on some people that could help you," he said while giving Bruce multiple portfolios. "They have intel on all the superheroes that didn't team up with Superman for one reason or another. Along with their weaknesses, strengths, and physiological profiles."</p><p>"Who put this intel together? These are a joke! Look here", Selina said to Bruce, showing him some of the information, finally getting some of her humor back, "it's written here that Huntress has daddy issues, and this file has an entire section dedicated to Black Canary's fishnets!" Bruce let out a humorous smirk at that.</p><p>"We have our own files, but thank you for cooperating with us," Bruce said to the president before leaving, letting Selina hear a small 'of course they do' before exiting the room.</p><p>"You'll take the west coast while I'll take the east." Bruce said once they reached the rooftop, grabbing his grappling hook.</p><p>"Excellent," Selina said, " I can't wait to share this with Dinah. It's been a while since we found something to laugh at."</p><p>Selina took out her whip, jumping from building to building until she found where her motorcycle was parked and took off to Starling City.</p><p>She found Dinah after ten minutes of being in the city, thanks to the police radio telling her of a gang being spotted in a nearby alley. Dinah was harsher on the crooks than she usually is. <em>Trouble in paradise much?</em></p><p>"Need a hand?" Selina asked, thinking that she could at least be polite.</p><p>"No, thanks." Dinah replied, "Ollie did something that pissed me, and I need to take it out on something."</p><p>"He told you about Harley?" Selina asked, "She wasn't really subtle about her capture during the battle at Arkham."</p><p>"Why are you here, Selina?"</p><p>"Can't I just give a sisterly visit? We were both practically raised by Ted Grant after all," Dinah gave Selina a hard glare, "Alright fine, Batman wants the Birds of Prey and Ollie to join the resistance."</p><p>"It's about time he asked. Ollie has been passive-aggressively wanting Batman to ask him for a week, the other girls were wanting to join in since the beginning, and I've been feeling pretty antsy myself." Dinah took a pick at the files that Selina was holding after she was done with the goons, "They have an entire section dedicated to my wardrobe choices? Don't they have anything better to do?"</p><p>"Hey, at least you weren't theorized into having a romantic relationship with both Wildcat and Nightwing."</p><p>"Oh my God, I'm so sorry for you."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter six : Bruce Wayne</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Takes place during issues eighteen and nineteen</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bruce smiled when he read Selina's thumbs up text. <em>Good, it meant that everything went smoothly with the east coast.</em> With the Birds of Prey and Green Arrow on their side, the chances will be more in their favor.</p><p>Bruce himself was having an easy time convincing people to join his side. Captain Atom and Kate already knew the dangers of dictatorship thanks to their military days, and Arthur was more than happy to join them thanks to Superman's stunt with Atlantis. All that remained was convincing Black Lighting.</p><p>Bruce parked the Batmobile in an unknown alley and decided to walk to his house instead. He climbed into his office window after noticing that the room's lights were still turned on.</p><p>"Jefferson?" Bruce asked.</p><p>"What-?" Jefferson turned around quickly, looking as if lightings were coming out of his eyes, but he immediately calmed down when he saw Bruce.</p><p>"Are you kidding me?" He asked in annoyance. "You are the world's greatest detective. You should be able to find my doorbell!"</p><p>"I'm sorry for startling you," Bruce said, "I would have called in advance, but I have to keep a low profile, and more so than the usual these days ." Bruce stole a look at Jefferson's work table, "What are you working on? Not even a highschool principle has this much paperwork."</p><p>"I'm currently working with the department of housing, to find homes for the hundred thousand people who were evacuated from around Metropolis." Jefferson answered, "There are also thousands of citizens who went out of town during the bombing and had no home to return to."</p><p>"You're going good work, Jefferson, great work even. You'll find homes for these people, and I'll try to send as much help from Gotham as I can," Bruce said, "But right now, I need to talk about something else, and I'm going to need Black Lighting for this discussion."</p><p>"If this is about going against Superman, then I'm in." Jefferson said, and continued after seeing Bruce's surprised expression, "I became a superhero so my girls wouldn't be afraid of the world anymore. So that fellow black folk like me would have someone to protect them from the police that shoots use if we wear hoodies. No way in hell am I going to let Superman make them feel unsafe again. Not after all we've been through."</p><p>Bruce nodded his in understanding. "We are having a meeting in two hours in Gotham's underground."</p><p>"Send me the address, and I'll be there."</p><p>Bruce gave him a small goodbye before exiting through the window. By the time he got to the meeting place, Selina was telling their secret weapon their plan of attack.</p><p>"I assume you already told him everything?" Bruce asked.</p><p>"Yes," Selina answered. "but I don't feel comfortable with keeping this a secret. They are already feeling uneasy because of Superman, and they shouldn't feel any worse because of your trust issues."</p><p>Their soon-to-be argument came to a stop when all three of them heard the elevator's chime. Selina muttered a bitter 'saved by the bell' before checking that their weapon is hidden. Bruce was relieved to see that all the people they talked to came today.</p><p>"Thank you all for joining us." Bruce said to them.</p><p>"I said I'll listen, not that I'd join you." Ollie said, and Bruce could see Dinah rolling her eyes behind his back.</p><p>Bruce ignored Ollie's comment and went to sit at the head of the table in the room. Aquaman took the other end, with Helena, Kate, Ollie, and Dinah sitting on his left while Selina, Jefferson, and Captain Atom sat on his right.</p><p>"You know why I called you here." Bruce said after they all sat down.</p><p>"Of course," Captain Atom said, "What's our plan of attack?"</p><p>Bruce told them what they needed to know: he has intel that Hawkgirl will attempt to capture a Somalian official in broad delight. Captain Atom will take the official from her catch, and Black Lighting and Huntress will knock her out. They will send her back to the Watchtower with a message that will distract the League long enough for them to come up with a more solid plan.</p><p>No one in the room had any objections to the plan. They all knew that the Justice League has the Watchtower as an advantage, and it's better to take their time than to do something impulsive and destructive.</p><p>
  <em>Thank God, the last thing we right now need is useless disputes between us.</em>
</p><p>Once all of his comrades left, Bruce was able to talk to his secret again. He told him of a signal he tracked from Metropolis, telling him to go to the location at hand and see who comes and goes from there.</p><p>Two days later, Bruce and his confidant met at an unknown spot made out of led, and Bruce hoped that this new information wouldn't work against them.</p><p>"You were right about your hunch," his confidant said, "It was Lex Luthor. He said that he had a speedster on the payroll, not as fast as Flash, but she could still do the job easily. The speedster had one job: bring Luthor to his bunker in an event like this."</p><p>"What happened to the speedster?"</p><p>"After she got Lex to his bunker, she went back out again. Lex believed that she tried to save people, but she wasn't fast enough to save herself. I wasn't able to get much else, and Wonder Woman was somehow able to sense me."</p><p>
  <em> Great. Another casualty to add to the ever-growing list.</em>
</p><p>"Be careful of Diana. She doesn't seem like herself. Where is Lex Luthor now?"</p><p>"He asked to meet with the Justice League. He is joining their side."</p><p>Bruce cursed under his breath. Lex joining Superman can ruin his plans. Unless a miracle happens and he decides to join Bruce's side instead, manipulating the League from within is going to be a lot harder. A very desperate idea came to Bruce's head.</p><p>"I'm sorry old friend," Bruce said," but I'm going to have to use your powers earlier than expected."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for the late update. I had a weird Saturday.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter Seven : Dick Grayson</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Takes place during issues twenty to twenty-four</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You kidnapped Hawkgirl?! I thought we agreed on not doing exactly that!" Dick yelled at his parents, feeling like his veins were going to pop. He was supposed to have some relaxing physical therapy at the cave's medical isle, not get a possible migraine.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Dick," Selina said in a genuinely apologetic tone, which made Dick feel guilty for yelling at her, "but thanks to Luthor joining Superman's side, we had to take a more drastic approach."</p><p>"But why? Why did Luthor's arrival change everything?"</p><p>"Because Luthor is the perfect voice of reason that the League was missing from the start." Bruce said with a dramatic entrance. Shouldn't he start saving those for Superman?</p><p>"Hawkgirl was supposed to come back to the League with a massage that will cause some tension among them." He continued. "There was already some strain among the members, and that message was fuel to the fire. But now that Lex is there, he will be the one to remind them that basic logic exists ."</p><p>"Wouldn't Damian have reminded them of your manipulations tactics first?" Dick asked.</p><p>"Damian is his own worst enemy." Selina said. "He would have told them about Bruce's strategy, but he would also take that chance to insult the League for not being smart to see the strings, adding more tension to an already tense group of individuals."</p><p>Dick hated the fact that she's right. "How long are we going to keep her here anyway? We can't keep her forever, right?" Dick's voice wavered a bit at the last word. His anxiety levels were going over the roof.</p><p>"No, of course not." Bruce assured him. "We are going to hold her for a week, two weeks maximum. I just need Martian Manhunter to analyze the dynamics of the current League and know of their plans. We can't let him continue for more than that anyway since Luthor would probably figure out by then that this is not their Hawkgirl."</p><p>That's somewhat reassuring, Dick thought to himself.</p><p>But before Dick could start feeling secure with the plan, Selina read a text on her phone, started cursing in what sounded like Spanish (probably so they wouldn't understand her), and turned the TV on to a random news channel. Alfred had come down just in time with Dick's medicine to watch the next live disaster.</p><p>There Dick saw Superman, dressed as Clark Kent, standing on a stage and giving an international speech in front of several journalists and photographers. Shazam and Wonder Woman were both standing behind him, wearing suits while Luthor stood on right next to him. The speech was so obviously not written by Superman, and it was starting to get painful to listen to it.</p><p>And just when Dick thought things couldn't get any worse, a boom tube opened just as Clark finished his speech. The Parademons started killing all the witnesses without blinking, and all the superheroes on stage immediately attacked the Parademons back. </p><p>
  <em>I can <span class="u">feel</span> my blood pressure rising.</em>
</p><p>Dick found it a miracle that he was able to keep up with it all, especially when considering that this all happened under five minutes.</p><p>"Selina, call Dinah and tell her we have an emergency meeting, and we'll meet up in five minutes at the same location as last time," Bruce said hurriedly, running with Selina to the Batmobile. "I'll call the others. Dick, I need you to stay on the computer and tell me every single update."</p><p>Dick wanted to argue with them, but unfortunately, his hip agreed with their orders. Alfred brought him a more appropriate chair for his broken bones, and Dick was to take Barbara on the best date of her life once his bones fully heal. He didn't realize how patient she was until he was forced into a wheelchair himself.</p><p>If Dick thought that listening to Superman was painful, then watching his friends and family fight without being able to help was absolute torture. He tried to aid them as much as he could, but there was so much damage worldwide, and Dick could barely keep up with it all.</p><p>It all came to an end when Superman decided to kill every Parademon on earth at the same time, using his super-speed and heat vision to do so. Dick had far too many mixed emotions about this action.</p><p>On the one hand, Superman just saved god knows how many people with one action alone. But on the other hand, it just proves that Clark Kent is dying, and Superman is turning into a tool for others to use.</p><p>Batman looked more stoic than ever after they returned, and even Selina was uncharacteristically quiet. Dick felt like he was going to throw up from their atmosphere alone.</p><p>"We are having another meeting in fifteen minutes. Some of them went to other countries to help, and I need to give them time." Bruce said. "Dick, you are coming with us to the next meeting."</p><p>That caused Dick's eyebrows to jump up to his hairline. "Are you serious? Selina, is he serious right now?" <em>Maybe someone replaced Bruce on the here?</em></p><p>"As serious as I possibly can be." Bruce answered him. "What Superman did today crossed a line I didn't know he even had. What I am about to do is out of character for me, could backfire horribly and endanger us, but it's a risk I want us to all agree together on."</p><p>"I already agreed to it on the way here. In fact, it was my idea from the start," Selina said, "all that is left is your opinion, Littlewing."</p><p>"Whatever it is," Dick started, "I'm sure it will be worth it."</p><p>
  <em>So why do I feel like everything is about to get worse for every person on earth right now?.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter Eight: Dick Grayson</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Takes place during issues twenty-five to twenty-seven</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick was more nervous than he would have wanted to admit. Not because he liked denying his emotions, he's not Bruce after all, but because he knew that the second he shows the smallest form of repulsion towards the plan, Bruce would use it as an excuse to drop everything and go back home.</p><p>He tried to calm down, reminding himself that they fought with these people for years and that can be trusted, but unfortunately, his brain was more paranoid than ever.</p><p>"Dick, calm down." Selina said, sitting in front of him at the table. "We already have one paranoid lord of darkness, and we don't need another." Selina dropped the joking tone when she saw how Dick looked. "Look, it's going to smoothly, and I'm sure of it because Alfred agreed to the idea, and if he agrees with Bruce on something without any fighting, then we are on the right track."</p><p>Dick couldn't disagree with her without looking insane for doubting Alfred, so he tried to calm himself by telling himself how right she is. It almost worked too, until he saw their friends entering the room and the butterflies in his stomach turned into wasps.</p><p>All of them took their place at the table, and almost all of them looked surprised at Dick's current state, except for Dinah and Ollie. Dinah looked troubled at his condition while Ollie looked so guilty you'd think he was raised Catholic. Dick tried to tell Ollie again about how it wasn't his fault and shouldn't feel blamed for this, but that only caused Ollie to slam his head on the table and let out a deep groan. That made all the other attenders to either burst out laughing or try to be professional and keep their laughter inward while letting out a snicker or two.</p><p><em> These people are as tense as me </em> . Dick came to realize.  <em> Ollie probably did this to let out some of the tension. Any man that is willing to look like an idiot to make others feel better has all of my respect. </em></p><p>Bruce waited for them all to calm down before starting the meeting. "As much as I understand the need for laughter in times of distress, and believe me I do, it will be best to get to the matters at hand so we can finish this quickly." No one showed any signs of disagreement.</p><p>"Before we fully get started, I have a feeling I need to explain to you why what Superman did was wrong, correct?" Huntress looked annoyed at that. No one likes being predictable. "The reason why I disagree with what Superman did was not because of the deaths, though that did help, but because he's losing Clark Kent. Superman knew that he couldn't be just Superman, so he continued to be Clark, someone with morals, a family, and an identity. Without Clark, Superman becomes an empty shell to be used by whoever knows how to manipulate him best, and the fact that he killed over a hundred lifeforms at once without feeling an inch of guilt or hatred towards his actions and accepted it with cheers from all over the world proves how right I am. Clark Kent died with Lois, and Superman isn't stable enough to be his own person." The reality of Bruce's words hit everyone in the room hard, and Dick could understand why. Superman was everyone's ray of hope since he first appeared. Seeing him become a symbol of war just feels <em> wrong </em>.</p><p>"But before we can continue our plans, I have a confession to make." Bruce said, instantly taking everyone's attention. <em> Here we go.  </em>"I have been hiding Martian Manhunter behind your backs. He has been doing spy work for me since this war started. On the day we stole Hawkgirl, I secretly had him replace her and spy on the Justice League for me, telling me of their current dynamics and plans. The last report Manhunter gave was about some weapon that Luthor is developing, something that will an average man as strong as Superman. He didn't do it accidentally, meaning that Lex is most likely secretly on our side."</p><p>"OK, please stop for just a second, can you at least explain <em> why  </em> you are telling us this?" Kate asked, saying what everyone else was thinking. "Yesterday you were telling us the barest of details, and now suddenly you are mister honesty? Are you dying or something? Because I highly doubt you are conscious enough to realize how shitty you've been acting towards us and that you're doing this out of your free will." Dick shared a scared look with Selina.  <em> Oh my god, is </em><em>he dying and he didn't tell us? </em></p><p>"And what makes you think that we'll stay with you after you told us this?" Jefferson asked. "I agreed to stop her from kidnapping a democratically elected official, not imprisoning her!"</p><p>"First of all, I'm not planning on keeping her locked for the next few months. I needed someone to look over the League for a week, and I'm releasing her in three days. But if you want to quit my team, then I understand that, but please don't bring me down for this." Jefferson remained quiet.</p><p>"And secondly: no, Batwoman, I'm not dying." <em> OK, I can breathe again.  </em>" I just understand that with the current situation, asking for you to die for me without giving the smallest form of equal standing is quite hypocritical of me. You are all my equals, and you deserve to be treated as such. I only hope that this action will prove how serious I am."</p><p>Bruce proceeded to shock them even more by taking off his mask and showing his true identity. Jefferson stayed at his seat shell shocked, and Dick was relieved from that. Some of the other reactions Dick was able to hear were<em>  holy crap, are you kidding me, my own fucking cousin  </em> and <em>  on-screen! We've got trouble! </em></p><p>
  <em> Wait what? </em>
</p><p>"It's the cultists!" he heard Selina yell. "They're openly terrorizing the streets!"</p><p><em> Oh, come on! </em>  Dick thought to himself, w <em> hy can't I have one goddamn moment of fun? </em></p><p><em> " </em>We'll explain on the way, but right now we need to move!" Bruce said while running to his car. "Captain Atom, I need you to fly there and try to disperse the mob. Nightwing-."</p><p>"Don't worry about me. I'll find a way to get home." Dick said, swallowing his pride and calling Alfred. <em> When was the last time I had to call him to pick me up? </em></p><p>Alfred got there when they all left to stop the cultists from destroying Crime Alley. By then, Ollie was almost screaming at the comms for someone to explain what the hell was going on.</p><p>"It's a cult that started worshiping Superman after he killed the Joker," Dick explained when he finally reached the Batcave, "We have suspected that they were behind a string of killing - shooting of small-time criminals. In their minds, they think they're continuing Superman's work. Catwoman and Batman have been trying to find evidence against them, but because they are mostly white males, to the surprise of no one, their privilege keeps getting in the way of arresting them for good. Now thanks to the Apokolips attack, there are more of this 'worshippers.'"</p><p>Dick logged on to the Batcomputer and hacked into the street cameras in the area. Fighting the cult members was as easy as Dick expected. Everything was going smoothly until Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern flew over there and stopped the fight themselves, and Dick cursed.<em>  They look as if they are descending from the heavens </em> , Dick thought, <em>  how do they not realize that only makes things worse? </em></p><p>Alfred had brought Selina's favorite Brandy for their return, and she chugged down a glass the second she got out of the batmobile. Dick could understand why. This was the second time Superman had stopped them in the middle of a battle, and it was getting fucking annoying.</p><p>The worst blow, however, would come two days later, with Damian appearing in the Batcave. Dick was doing his daily physical therapy when he noticed him there. But then Damian did the most unexpected thing: he ran out to Dick and hugged him.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Damian said, "I'm so sorry I did this to you."</p><p>"It's OK, Damian," Dick told him, "just promise me you've learned the value of controlling your anger." Damian said nothing. "Damian-."</p><p>"Master Damian?" Alfred asked as he descended down the stairs. "What are you doing here? Have you decided to return home?"</p><p>"I-." Damian tried to start, but he was cut off by the Batmobile's engine. Bruce was home, and any chance of Damian staying Gotham was thrown out the window.</p><p>"Damian?" Bruce asked in shock, "What are you doing here?"</p><p>"I should go," Damian said, and Bruce didn't even bother to call him back. <em> That does it. </em></p><p>"Damian just begged for forgiveness from me and probably wants redemption from you," Dick said to Bruce, "Please, for the love of all that is holy, try to talk to him and don't be <strong>you. </strong>"</p><p>"Well said, Master Dick." Alfred said, and Bruce let an awkward cough before talking.</p><p>"Damian, wait," Bruce said, "can we please talk upstairs?"</p><p>"There is nothing to talk about, father. You left me there at Arkham. You have made your intentions for me very clear."</p><p>"What else did you expect, Damian? You chose Superman over me, joined his side, and hadn't looked back since. What did you want? Every morning we would say hello over breakfast and go our separate ways? Ignore the obvious tension between us? You're a smart child Damian, and you should know by now that your actions can have significant consequences on our lives!"</p><p>"Don't make this about me when it's obviously about you! You hate yourself for not being there for me, and now you're taking it out on us! Do you think I wanted Dick to be my Batman? No, I wanted you! I needed to bound with my father, or at least for him to give me some guidance for my life! And now you hate the fact that Superman is doing your job better than you!"</p><p>"Master Damian, that is enough." Alfred said, trying to calm Damian down.</p><p>"Don't touch me." Damian said.</p><p>"Master Damian." Alfred tried to reach towards Damian again. Dick tried to warn Alfred, but it was too late. Damian yelled one last time before pushing Alfred away. Dick expected that to happen, but what he didn't expect was the force of Damian's push, or how Alfred was sent flying into one of the computer screens. Dick tried to help Alfred along with Bruce, but his hip was still broken, and he fell to the ground instead.</p><p>
  <em> The super pills that Bruce mentioned, it has to be them. </em>
</p><p>Damian went to Alfred, mumbling apologies, saying how he didn't know how strong he would become. Bruce went to them, trying to reach out to them both with a worried expression. But by looking at Damian's face, Dick knew that that's not what the kid saw.</p><p><em> He's going to hurt me now.  </em> Dick could hear Damian's thought.  <em> He's going to hurt me as a punishment like my grandfather. I have to fight back! </em></p><p>"Damian, no!" Dick tried to yell out, but it was too late. Damian pushed Bruce away, throwing him into the giant coin they kept there. The last thing Dick heard was the coin falling on Bruce, with all the other three men shouting for Bruce's name.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I kid you not, it took me two days to write this chapter</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter Nine : J'onn J'onzz</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Takes place during issues twenty-seven to thirty-six</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>J'onn knew what he did was a mistake, that Hawkgirl was never this strong, and she could never hold the coin on her strength alone. But he had to act fast, and that was the only action he could have taken to save Batman.</p><p>"We should go back to the Watchtower, Robin," J'onn said, hoping that he sounded exactly like Shiera, "before you make everything worse for everyone."</p><p>Robin was ready to go until he noticed J'onns mistakes. "Wait, how did you even know where the Batcave is, Hawkgirl?" he asked. "And how were you able to hold that penny? You are strong, but not that strong." Robin's eyes widen with realization. <em> Oh no.  </em>" After he took you, you returned and spoke his message, almost starting a fight, and you kept raising doubts over the pill while making Luthor look insane. You've actively trying to destroy us from the inside since the day you've returned! You are not Hawkgirl!" </p><p>Robin released incendiary from his belt, almost setting J'onn ablaze. J'onn panicked for a second before flying away from the fire. Batman called out his name in worry, but J'onn calmed him down, telling him he's alright and warning him to go. But it was too late by then, Robin disappeared and is most likely at the Watchtower, reporting to the League of Hawkgirl's capture and imprisonment. Mr. Pennyworth ran up the stairs in the hopes of catching him outside,</p><p>"What should we do now?" J'onn asked Batman.</p><p>"Maybe we should finally release Hawkgirl?" Nightwing asked, after being helped into his chair by Batman. "If the League knows by now of her real whereabouts thanks to Damian, shouldn't we let her go?"</p><p>"No." Batman said. "We should release her when it strategically works for us. Right now, Superman is working on the way to get back at me for kidnapping her, and when that happens, we'll need to find a way to use her return as an advantage."</p><p>Nightwing wanted to argue with Batman, but an urgent text from his phone stopped him before he could start. Nightwing's eyes widen, told Bruce to turn on his computer immediately. Superman's face appeared on the broken screen, preaching about the awful things Batman had done to them and how he will take away his anonymity as vengeance. Batman damned Superman, not caring about keeping his language in check anymore and activated something called 'Protocol Icarus.'</p><p>"What did you do?" Nightwing asked as the screen went blank.</p><p>"I've taken out the Watchtower," Batman answered. "but don't worry about them, with Superman and Wonder Woman there they will be able to land it here on earth with no problems. What we need to do at the moment is to figure out a plan before they get here." He added after looking at his sons scared expression.</p><p>"Aren't you worried about Superman telling the world about your Identity?" J'onn asked.</p><p>"I took out the Watchtower so I can have time to figure out a plan. The League could easily use the internet as a way to tell the world who I am thanks to Cyborg being with them."</p><p>Just as Batman finished talking, Alfred Pennyworth returned to the cave to warn them of the journalists outside the manor. Batman looked at his - butler? father? - and Nightwing with shame.</p><p>"I'm sorry for what our life had come too," he started, "there are no words that describe how angry I am that your freedom has been taken from you, and scared for what will become of your life-."</p><p>"That is quite enough, Master Bruce," Mr. Pennyworth has stated, "Both your son and I are grown men. We've always known that this day will come, and we still supported you because that's what families do. Lucius and I have already secured WE and protected your charities and trust funds years ago in case this day will come. I also made a list for the both of you of things you might want to take from the manor. Things like your mother's pearls and pictures of the children."</p><p>"Thank you, Alfred," Batman said, "but are you sure you both want to continue to be around me?"</p><p>"The self-sacrificing gesture is nice, Bruce, but it's not gonna happen." Nightwing said with a genuine grin. "Besides, you can't leave us. After all, we are the first items on the list." Batman let out a small smile at that.</p><p>However, his face turned serious again after he heard his computer warning him of upcoming threats. Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern have entered Gotham and are coming to the cave. J'onn knew Batman was feared for many reasons, but to bring so much manpower for one powerless human?</p><p>"J'onn, I need you to release Hawkgirl, tell her where the Watchtower landed, and return to hear my plan." Batman said. "There is a ninety percent chance you can get mortally wounded, so I need your approval."</p><p>"If I had never trusted your intelligence, I would have never joined you." J'onn replied simply and went to free their captive. Batman explained the plan to him after he returned, with Nightwing adding some pointers to help with the execution. By the time the League had arrived, J'onn had changed himself to look like Batman, hoping he had disguised his heartbeat good enough to fool Superman.</p><p>"You stole my life from me." J'onn said. He made sure to add extra gruffiness like Nightwing suggested.</p><p>"You'll buy a new one," Wonder Woman said, surprising J'onn with her apathy. <em> She is one of the most compassionate people I know. What happened to her?  </em>"Where are you holding Hawkgirl?"</p><p>"I'm not holding her."</p><p>"Enough of your deception Bruce, we know all about Martian Manhunter and-." Wonder Woman was cut off by her comms, probably telling her of Hawkgirl's return to the Watchtower. J'onn almost let out a sigh of relief.</p><p>"So, do we leave now?"Flash asked.</p><p>"Yes." J'onn answered in Batman's commanding tone. <em> Please agree with me.   </em> J'onn begged in his head. <em>  You are still my family. I don't want to fight you. </em></p><p>"No, we are not leaving," Wonder Woman said, and while J'onn was sad he had to fight his former confidants now, he was at least grateful that now he knows who the real force behind this all really is, "this is your last warning Bruce. I know you're too vain to accept that we are working in the best interests of the world but if you, or any of your team, act against us again, we will respond with force." <em> You made this speech, and you call  </em> <strong> <em> Bruce </em></strong><em>vain? Don't you have any self-awareness? </em></p><p>J'onn walked away from them just like Batman would, ignoring Flash's calls until he ran in front of him and tried to block him from returning to his cave.</p><p>"We are just trying to talk to you, Bruce," Flash said, "you can't walk away from me anyway."</p><p>"No. No, I suppose I can't." J'onn said and flew away from where he was standing. He could he Flash say 'well that was unexpected' and allowed himself a small smirk. No wonder Batman enjoyed doing so many dramatic reveals, the rush is intoxicating!</p><p>J'onn flew himself into a cloud when the other three League members caught up to him. Green Lantern started searching for him with his ring, so J'onn made sure to knock him out first with one punch to the face. Wonder Woman flew down to stop him from falling to the ocean, giving J'onn a chance to talk to Superman alone.</p><p>"J'onn," Superman called him so he would show himself.</p><p>"Clark," he said back to Superman, "Batman has left the cave. He's long gone by now."</p><p>"Why are you working with him? Why are you against me?"</p><p>"Because I love earth like a second home. I love its cultures, its people, its beauty, and its ugliness, and I want to save it before I lose it like my previous home. Before I lose it for what you're becoming."</p><p>"And what am I becoming? What does the world need saving from exactly?"</p><p>"I'm going to show you how I lost my first family. I want you to feel what I went through and what I'm going through now." J'onn closed his eyes and telepathically connected himself with Clark. He hated to remember what happened on that day, but he will do what he must to save his new home. He showed Superman how the white Martians forced his people out of Mars, how cold they were, and how terrified they were of their futures.</p><p>'What is this?' Superman asked in his mind.</p><p>'This what it feels like when your planet is overrun.' J'onn replied back, showing him how he was separated from his wife and daughter. 'When you are a part of the weaker species that is dominated by the stronger one. ' He showed him the image of his daughter being taken away from him, his sweet K'hym. 'This what it feels like to be helpless.'</p><p>'But you already know that feeling, don't you, Kal-El?' He showed Superman the image of Lois, floating in space, and compared it to his own grief. He connected their emotions, comparing the similarities of their tragedies and hoping that will cause Superman to see the errors of his ways.</p><p>Wonder Woman decided at that moment to grab J'onn by his face, forcing him to lose his focus and end his psychic connection with Superman.</p><p>"Let go of him!" she screamed at him.</p><p>"I can't understand you, Diana. You said for years that you would always choose peace over war, and now start a fight at every chance you can," J'onn said, turning his body liquid like so he could enter her body.</p><p>'And you always underestimated me. You see yourselves as invulnerable, but right now, I'm inside you. I'm in your lungs. I can strangle your organs,' J'onn told them her in her head, while Superman was trying to stop him from taking control of her, his efforts proven futile.</p><p>'I've also been in your head, Diana. There something else inside of you that wants to take control. Something dark that doesn't belong there. Maybe if I cut off the oxygen out of your brain, it will come out out of fright.' It was a risky move, and J'onn knew that, but that thing needs to get out of Diana before she loses control of herself.</p><p>"Do it, Clark, it's the only way!" Wonder Woman yelled, and J'onn was confused. <em> What is she talking about? She doesn't honestly think I'm about to kill her, does she? </em> "You need to burn me!"  </p><p><em> She has gone insane!  </em>Was J'onn last thought as he escaped last minute from Superman's heat vision, using one of Batman's gadgets to hide his heartbeat to fake his death. He had to flee through the ocean after noticing that Superman was able to burn him a bit after all.</p><p>Batman waited for him by the shore, helping J'onn into the Batmobile and driving into another unknown location with a doctor Leslie Thompkins waiting for them by the entrance with all the medical equipment needed to treat J'onn's wounds.</p><p>"Dr. Thompkins, I hope I do not sound rude as I ask this, but how many secret locations does Batman have exactly?" He asked in a hopefully polite tone.</p><p>"Mr. J'onzz, I have treated his injuries since he was a toddler, yet there are some things in the world that even <strong> I </strong> don't know about Batman." She replied dryly.</p><p>"That is hard to believe, but very well."</p><p>It would take a few more hours for all of the current allies of the rebellion to get to the secret hideout. By the time they have arrived, J'onn's wounds have subdued enough for him to join the meeting.</p><p>"Thank you for coming here on such short notice," Batman said, "but after today's events, we had to have this meeting. Martian Manhunter, say all that you know about the League."</p><p>"Well, for starters, Superman tried to kill me today, and there is a chance that Wonder Woman is possessed by something that I couldn't quite understand. It's like there is another voice in her head that she mistakes as her own. Not exactly some form of spirit, but it's definitely something that has to do with magic." J'onn said, wanting to get the heavy material out of the way, giving the other members time to late the information sink in.</p><p>"Unfortunately, that is not all that I have to report," he continued, "Superman and Lex Luthor have been building this super pill that can give anyone the strength of a Kryptonian under a yellow sun and it's currently held in the Fortress of Solitude. I have seen the results myself, and it is as devastating as it sounds."</p><p>"And I'm guessing we are going there and stealing some of these pills to ourselves?" Catwoman asked.</p><p>"Yes," Batman replied, "I have contacted the President -yes, our President- and asked him to give us some time to break into the fortress and has sent the U.S warships into the Korean Peninsula. Catwoman will unlock the door, Captain Atom will open it, and Black Canary will shatter Kryptonian crystals with her Canary Cry if necessary. If this plan goes well and we get our hands on the pills, then we will finally have a chance to go against Superman and his men." </p><p>Just as Batman finished his talk, he got a message on his phone from the President about the distraction that they have planned. Batman called to all the people he mentioned, but Green Arrow stopped him before he can leave.</p><p>"This is a surgical strike, and I'm not taking anyone I don't need. I already have the best thief in the world, a man who's strength rivals Superman and meta-human martial arts expert who can make Superman bleed with her screams."</p><p>"And her boyfriend who's the best archer in the world and who can put two arrows up your-."</p><p>"An entire armada in buying us a small window so that we can possibly save the world," Black Canary interrupted the two men. "and I'm going to do just that. You two feel free to keep bickering, though."</p><p>Before they all left, Catwoman told J'onn to read the file that they left in the table. It contained his next mission, along with some new I.D cards to help him. It said that he would go back to the world while spying for the rebellion, finding more people who would join there cause and find clues to the missing Teen Titans. J'onn felt guilty when remembering the Teen Titans. <em> With the intensity that was happening around me, I have completely forgotten about those lost children. </em></p><p>It will take them what felt like hours before they finally returned with two members short. J'onn hoped what he guessed happen was wrong, but when Huntress asked where are Atom and Green Arrow, Black Canary ran into the hall. J'onn didn't need to read her mind to understand what happened.</p><p>"What the hell happened?" Black Lighting asked.</p><p>"Captain Atom and Green Arrow were both murdered by Superman. He has finally lost all that made him human." Batman said, taking the pill and walking towards the transporter. "We're all out of time, and It will be best if you find somewhere to hide. Superman will be coming after all of us now."</p><p>"Wait, where are you going?" Batwoman asked. "You've just returned, can't you just sit down for one second?"</p><p>"I'm sorry, Kate, but I can't. I have to go back to the cave. My computer there is the best chance we have of analyze the pill, and once I know how it's made, I should be able to synthesize it. It could be our last chance to stand against him."</p><p>"You can't go there!" Catwoman warned him. "Superman will be coming for you, and the cave is the first place he'll look!"</p><p>"I know," Batman replied, "I just need to buy enough time for the analysis."</p><p>"<strong> You </strong>need to buy time? In case you haven't noticed, you're not the only one here." Batman's silent stare was the only answer she got. "If you think for one second that I'm letting you face him alone, then you are out of your pointy ear head!"</p><p>"I'll have a better chance against him if I don't have to worry about you." <em> My gods, does this man has a bigger death wish then I have originally thought? </em></p><p>"Would stop being stoic and let me help you?" Catwoman asked in a surprisingly calm voice. <em> She must have the patients of a saint.  </em> "You want everyone to think that you are this invulnerable, inaffable thing, but I know that's not true. I've seen your scars, hell, I've heard you snore, and you are <strong>human </strong> , and he's  <strong> not </strong> ." Catwoman grabbed Batman by the front of his cape at this point. "If you go back to that cave, he will crush, he will break you and-." Catwoman was cut off by Batman's lips. J'onn, along will all the other people in the area, looked away from the scene.  <em> Nightwing wasn't kidding with their PDA </em></p><p>Batman apologized to Catwoman, gassing her with sleep gas and giving her sleeping form to Huntress. Batman gave one last warning to hide and went back to his home.</p><p>J'onn didn't listen to his words and waited outside for his return. Alfred Pennyworth returned with him, carrying his son to safety.  </p><p>"What happened there"? J'onn asked.</p><p>"Superman happened." Mr. Pennyworth replied bitterly. "He took Burce and broke his spine with his knee. Where are Leslie and the others?" </p><p>J'onn showed Mr. Pennyworth to the emergency basement the place, helping put the wounded Batman on the table. Upon seeing them, Dr. Thomkins and Catwoman went to help them without a second thought.</p><p>"I knew this would happen," Catwoman said, "I knew this would happen, and he still didn't let me help him."</p><p>J'onn wished he could say this was the last terrible thing that happened during this neverending month, but fate was never kind to him, and the worst news came the next day.</p><p>Superman was at the U.N, appearing on screen with all of his allies standing behind him. He went started a speech about how Bruce Wayne, the 'terrorist' known as Batman, stole a powerful weapon from the Justice League and how they are going to help the planet by not letting Bruce 'terrorize' the earth. Superman spoke of how they are going to fight against his evil that Batman represents and how they do not need to fear this great evil. He even used his own deceased wife in his speech, saying how she uncovered all the great evils in the world, not seeing the irony in his words. J'onn almost thought this was Superman's new sick sense of humor until he saw a new army march onto the stadium, standing proudly with the League.</p><p>"I am gathering my forces. We will expose Batman and all who seek to aid him." Superman said. "The last thing Lois ever said to me was 'save the world, and I intend to do that. Whatever it takes."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This the end of year one! I am now taking a much-needed break to plan year two. Please comment on what were your favorite parts and what you thought were unnecessary.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Sequel Link</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I have officially started Year Two</p><p>Here is the link: <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23857312/chapters/57340897">https://archiveofourown.org/works/23857312/chapters/57340897</a></p>
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